Grenade.



J. A. STEINMETZ.

GRENADE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22. 1917. 1,225,884. Patented May15,1917.

JOSEPH A. STEINMETZ, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRENADE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 191 7.

Application filed January 22, 1917. Serial No. 143,655.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. STEINMETZ,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Iniprovements in Grenades, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention lelates to means for increasing the distance to which grenades and the like may be thrown by hand or otherwise, and it involves providing the projectile with a thin stifl sheet or sheets adapted to resist descent of the projectile in flight by presenting a large surface to the air below. The sheet may be circular or otherwise and may be approximately plane, or distinctly curved upward marginally to saucer-like form, or may be of helicopter type made in one or more parts so that when rapidly. advanced while in approximately horizontal position it will exert a lifting effect. It may also be marginally weighted to give it gyroscopic resistance. to deviation from its initial plane if it rapidly rotates in its own plane while in flight, as it will do if given suitable primary impulse. In any of'its embodiments the invention provides for sustaining the grenade until nearly its entire energy is expended in advancing.

For illustration, the grenade is shown as one to be projected by the hand alone.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 shows a grenade in the center of a plane disk which is in an.- equatorial or medial plane of the grenade, the line of sight being in the plane of the disk. 2 Fig.2 is a plan view of the same devices, the line of. sight being perpendicular to the disks plane.

Fig. 3 is a diametrical section of the disk made by a plane perpendicular to the plane of the disk which is here slightly modified.

Fig. 4 is a like section showing a modified construction of the grenade.

Fig. 5 shows in'edge view a disk of saucerlike form. a

Fig. 6 shows the sustaining device as of spiral or helicopter form.

-Inthese views, 10 represents grenade having common breaking grooves 11 and any suitable exploding devices 12 which may be contact or fuse devices, both forms being well known. It is also provided with a thin stiif disk 14 of suitable material, rigidly fixed to the equatorial or medial zone of the grenade in any suitable way and projecting on all sides to a considerable distance from the central body. This disk is preferably furnished with holes or depressions 151serving as finger-holds in throwing the grenade by hand, and especially in giving the disk rotation in its own plane while it is in flight.

The disk may be corrugated as at 16, Fig. 3, and may, if desired, be provided with a marginal weight 17, Fig. 3, to give the above mentioned gyroscopic effect.

The grenade may be made in halves 18,

19, Fig. 4, between which the sustaining devices are clamped, c. 9., by a threaded projection 20 on one half engaging in a corresponding recess 21 in the other half; but this securing means may obviously be varied.

Any grenade 22, Fig. 5, may be provided when in horizontal position the descent of the grenade while in flight.

*3. The combination with a grenade, of a thin stifi sheet projecting from the-equatorial region of the same and provided with suitable finger-holds at some distance from the grenade.

4. The combination with a grenadeof a thin stiff sheet projecting from the equatorial zone of the grenade and having portions bent upward to secure a lifting effectwhen the grenade is in rapid flight with the sheet approximately horizontal.

5. The combination with a grenade inade in halves, of a thin stifi' sustaining sheet thin stifi equatorial sheet pr0ject1ng"thereclafnpedbetween the halves and projecting from and marginally Weighted to give it to a' considerable distance from the body gyroscopic resistance, when rotating, to 10 of. the grenade, and means for exploding change of plane.

5 the" grenade under predetermined condi- In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my tions. signature.

6. The combinetionrwith a grenade, of a JOSEPH A. STEINMETZ.

Copies, of this patent may be obtained for five cents edefafby addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. e." 

